The locations for siting communication facilities are listed in the subsections below.
(A) No communication facility shall be constructed in or at a location readily visible from a public trail, public park, forest preserve or other outdoor recreation area, or in property designated as a floodway, unless it blends with the surrounding existing natural and man-made environment in such a manner as to be effectively unnoticeable (e.g. alternative tower structure) and a certified engineer finds that no other location is technically feasible.
(B) No communication facility shall be installed at a location where special painting or lighting will be required by the FAA regulations unless technical evidence acceptable to the Director of Community Development and/or Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals is submitted showing that this is the only technically feasible location for this facility.
(C) No communication facility that is readily visible from off-site shall be installed closer than one-half mile from another readily visible uncamouflaged or unscreened communication facility, regardless of the Village boundaries, unless it is a co-located facility, situated on a multiple-user site, or blends with the surrounding existing natural and built environment in such a manner as to be effectively unnoticeable; or technical evidence acceptable to the Director of Community Development and/or Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals, is submitted demonstrating a clear need for this facility and the unfeasibility of co-locating it on 1 of these former sites.
(D) Preferred location sites. Publicly used structures are preferred locations throughout the Village because they appear in all neighborhoods and, within each neighborhood, they appear to be institutional/infrastructure uses, similar in appearance to communication facility installations. Therefore communication facility installations on publicly used structures appear less noticeable than on commercial or residential structures. Similarly, the communication facilities on structures which already feature similar installations (co-locations) would also appear less noticeable than on other structures, up to the point when there would be too many antennae and the structure appears too "busy," "cluttered," visually obtrusive and irritating.
(1) Publicly-used structures. Public facilities such as police or fire stations, libraries, community centers, utility structures, water towers, elevated roadways, bridges, flag poles, smokestacks, telephone switching facilities, or other public structures. Where the installation complies with all FCC regulations and standards, schools, hospitals, health centers, legally designated places of worship, or other similar institutional structures should also be considered.
(2) Co-location site. Any existing site on which a legal wireless communications facility is currently located shall be a preferred location site regardless of the underlying zoning designation of the site, provided, however, that locations which meet this criterion shall be subject to the design and siting components of this chapter, applicable to the Comprehensive Plan, or other such policies that may be adopted by the Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals, including, but not limited to, policies which prevent location of so many facilities on a structure such that the roof or site resembles an "antenna farm" or is otherwise deemed visually obtrusive.
(3) Manufacturing or commercial structures. Wholly industrial or commercial structures within a manufacturing district, such as, factories, retail outlets, supermarkets, banks, garages, service stations where existing visual obstructions/clutter on the roof or along the roofline can and will, in a commercially practicable manner, be removed or camouflaged as part of the installation.
(4) Billboards. The placement of only low profile antennas on existing or new billboard structures is permitted, provided: the maximum height regulations for antennas set forth in this chapter are complied with or a special use permit is granted to increase the maximum height; and the antennas shall be attached to the billboard monopole or installed behind the billboard sign structure so that they are screened from public view to the extent reasonably possible. In all cases, the maximum height of an antenna cannot exceed the highest portion of the billboard sign or tower and the placement of the antenna must be approved by a special use permit. Low profile antennas installed on existing or new billboard structures or its related monopole are not subject to the setback regulations set forth in this section. The color of the antenna shall match the color of the monopole or billboard sign structure to minimize its visibility.
(E) Limited preference sites. Antennas placed on buildings located in business districts are limited preference sites. Antennas placed on multi-family dwellings of 8 or more units are limited preference sites. The Director of Community Development and/or the Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will not approve applications for such sites unless the application describes the following:
(1) Demonstrates where any publicly-used buildings, co-location site or other preferred location sites are located within the geographic service area;
(2) Demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence what good-faith efforts and measures were taken to secure these preferred location sites;
(3) Explains why such efforts were unsuccessful; and
(4) Demonstrates that the location for the site is essential to meet the demands in the geographic service area and the applicant's network.
(5) The Village may require an independent verification of this analysis at the applicant's expense.
(F) Disfavored sites, residential districts. The Director of Community Development and/or the Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will not approve applications for residential districts unless the application describes the following:
(1) Demonstrates where any publicly-used buildings, co-location site or other preferred location sites are located within the geographic service area;
(2) Demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence what good-faith efforts and measures were taken to secure these preferred location sites;
(3) Explains why such efforts were unsuccessful; and
(4) Demonstrates that the location for the site is essential to meet the demands in the geographic service area and the applicant's network.
(5) The Village may require an independent verification of this analysis at the applicant's expense.
(G) Facilities placed on publicly used structures, as defined in division (D)(1) of this section, shall not be considered disfavored sites and may be approved as provided by this chapter.
(H) A co-location site as defined in division (D)(2) of this section shall not be considered a disfavored site and may be approved as provided by this chapter.
(Ord. CO-2010-006, passed 4-15-2010)